This invention relates to apparatus for heating food, such as partially or fully precooked french fried potatoes supplied in a refrigerated or frozen state and requiring heating for being eaten, and more particularly to a convection oven for heating such food items.
The invention is particularly directed toward providing for self-service of hot and appetizing french fried potatoes in establishments such as convenience stores, vending machine canteens, cafeterias, etc., utilizing partially or fully precooked french fried potatoes supplied in a refrigerated or frozen state, and requiring heating to bring them to serving temperature (and to complete their cooking when they are only partially precooked). The self-service requirement presents problems in respect to rapid and safe heating of the potatoes to bring them to the temperature for serving, while insuring that the potatoes are crisp, tasty and of good texture and nicely browned, preferably comparable to french fried potatoes freshly fried in hot oil in a deep fry cooker (such as available at fast food restaurants). Use of a deep fry cooker is unacceptable for self-service. Use of a microwave oven may appear to be possible for self-service but, in fact, while partially or fully precooked potatoes supplied in a refrigerated or frozen state may be rapidly heated in a microwave oven, they come out rubbery, lacking crispness and good texture, and are generally wholly unacceptable. Use of conventional ovens other than microwave ovens, including presently available convection ovens, may give satisfactory results insofar as crispness and texture of the potatoes are concerned, but require unacceptably long heating cycles and may pose safety problems, making their use unacceptable for self-service.
While the invention has been initially developed for customer self-service of french fried potatoes, it will be understood that its principles are regarded as applicable to heating of food items in general, particularly for self-service.